RSU News

April 8, 2013

RSU Innovation Center Receives National Recognition

From left, Jessica Chaffee, project manager of entrepreneurship for the Tulsa Regional Chamber, and Jeri Koehler, director of the RSU Innovation Center, show the $2,500 prize they will split for winning U.S. SourceLink's Take 5 for Entrepreneurship competition.

The Innovation Center at Rogers State University recently won a national entrepreneurship award for its work with the Build Bartlesville Innovative Ideas Competition.

During the U.S. SourceLink Take 5 for Entrepreneurship Competition, Build Bartlesville earned the People's Choice award. Build Bartlesville was nominated for the contest via its U.S. SourceLink resource partner, SourceLink Tulsa. The winner was announced April 4 at the annual U.S. SourceLink conference in Kansas City.

Build Bartlesville is dedicated to fueling entrepreneurial spirit, from start-up businesses to existing businesses looking to expand or update a product line by branching into new markets. The competition recently awarded two cash prizes to Bartlesville area entrepreneurs.

"We are so excited to win the national competition with our Innovative Ideas competition," said Jeri Koehler, director of the Innovation Center. "Our program in Bartlesville is fairly new and gaining national exposure fuels our fire to continue our work in building an entrepreneurial culture in Oklahoma."

"The Tulsa Regional Chamber was proud to nominate the Innovation Center in the national contest," says Jessica Chaffee, project manager of entrepreneurship for the Tulsa Regional Chamber. "We are inspired by the Build Bartlesville competition and are thankful for partners such as Rogers State University who invest in economic development in northeast Oklahoma."

The Innovation Center and the Tulsa Regional Chamber will split the $2,500 award from the national competition and both organizations have plans to invest the winnings into furthering entrepreneurial work in the area.